The moment a person becomes an addiction to something, it becomes extremely difficult to change them! If that something is “heroin”, things reach a whole different level. It is quite interesting to note that a lot of people wonder how their heroin addiction began in the first place. What were the initial signs of addiction? Did someone guide them down this lane?
Unlike many other addictions, your bond with heroin begins from a single point.
Before you figure out how heroin addiction begins, you must accept the fact that one in three gets addicted to the drug after using it. In general, heroin is highly addictive. It is much more powerful than alcohol or smoking. The body develops a dependency on heroin easily.
UNDERSTANDING THE FACTS!
“Opioids” is a major reason behind heroin addiction. The addiction always begins with the use of opioids. According to a study between 2002 and 2012, the use of heroin is high amongst people who are prescribed opioids. Figures reveal that opioid increases heroin addiction by 19-times.
Another research focused on young heroin users. The injectable drug was common amongst 86% of opioid users. Most of them relied on opioid pain relievers before becoming an addict. This study is different from what was seen and believed several years ago.
Here are few stats about heroin addiction:
- In the year 1960 heroin addiction began with the drug itself!
- In the 2000s, more than 75% of heroin users became addicts with the use of opioid. They consumed opioid through prescription drugs.
- Today, 80% of heroin addicts are exposed to this drug through prescription opioids. Common prescriptions with opioids are OxyContin, Vicodin, and
It takes few weeks for a person to become addicted and dependent on these drugs.
THIS WHERE THE ADDICTION STARTS!
A major starting point for all heroin addictions would be prescription painkillers. Of course, there are few other gateways drugs too! All gateway drugs result in heroin addiction.
Here is a quick example: If a person is addicted to cocaine, they are likely to use heroin in the next few years.
The use of poly drugs is not unusual. However, a combination of several drugs will be dangerous.
THE SCIENTIFIC COMPONENT
Irrespective of how the addiction begins, there is a common scientific component.
Just like prescription opioids, heroin binds with important brain receptors. The moment this bonding happens, excess dopamine is released into the blood. Dopamine is responsible for a variety of emotions. When your intake heroine, the amount of dopamine released in blood increases by 10-times.
Here is a simple analog: Dopamine gets released with you make love. Because dopamine gets released you are triggered to make love again. This concept holds good for heroin too!
The moment you use drugs like heroin, your brain’s overall functionality gets influenced. The pleasures offered by this drug will make you ask for more. This outlines the reason behind your cravings for heroin. The craving can begin after an hour or a day! But, it takes just a single dose of heroin to do the trick.